Argentina threatens Britain 'we will control Falklands in 20 years'

ARGENTINA issued a firm threat to Britain today vowing to control the Falklands within 20 years.

Argentina's foreign minister, Hector Timerman, during his first visit to London vowed that Argentina would take back control of the Falklands and that Britain was internationally isolated in its claim over the islands.

He denounced the British as "fanatics" and said they were only interested in the islands because of their oil reserves.

He said: "The United Kingdom has never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity to find a solution for the Malvinas (the Argentine name for the islands)."

The comments come after Timerman refused to attend a meeting with William Hague and the Falklanders claiming that he did not recognise their authority.

The Argentine minister defended his actions adding: "There is not one single country in the world which supports the right of the United Kingdom to govern over the Malvinas. Not one."

Speaking to a British newspaper, he argued: "I don't think it will take another 20 years. I think that the world is going through a process of understanding more and more that this is a colonial issue, an issue of colonialism, and that the people living there were transferred to the islands.

"We have been trying to find a peaceful solution for 180 years. I think the fanatics are not in Buenos Aires (but) maybe in the United Kingdom because they are 14,000km (8,700 miles) away from the islands.

Cristina De Kirchner has often been aggressive to Britain

I don't think it will take another 20 years.

Hector Timerman

"And I think they are using the people living in the islands for political (reasons) and to have access to oil and natural resources which belong to the Argentine people. I think we are not fanatical at all."

Today, members of the Falklands Islands parliament wrote to Mr Timerman, voicing their disappointment at his refusal to meet them this week and urging him to reconsider.

Legislative Assembly member Dick Sawle told the Argentine foreign minister: "Though we value our links to the United Kingdom, we are our own community, free to determine our political future.

"We believe that the referendum next month will make it very clear that we do not wish to be ruled by Argentina.

"Please understand that no amount of harassment and intimidation by your Government against our island community will change this fact.

"Indeed, the more you press us, the harder will be our resolve. It is not tenable for you to ignore us."

Mr Timerman also dismissed next month's planned referendum of the islanders on whether they want to remain part of Britain and later clashed with MPs on the issue.

He added: " If you ask the colonial people who came with a colonial power and replaced the people who were living in the islands, it is like asking the British citizens of the Malvinas Islands if they want to remain British," he said.

He hit back at suggestions that the government in Buenos Aires had been agitating over the issue of the islands in attempt to distract from severe economic problems at home.

On numerous occasions Argentine President Cristina De Kirchner has voiced her aggressive discontent over the Falklands.

But Timerman said: "I think it is the United Kingdom that is going through an economic crisis and is becoming isolationist more than Argentina. They want to get out of the European Union, there is a sense here (in Britain) that we want to stop the world and get out."